The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-05-11
Col. Sam Tate's Letter.

during the past winter, l have seer
but little Of the discussion In regard L
this new enterprise, aud have learned
since my return that the people oil
your town and county were to be
called upon in a fsw days 10 vote
subscription to 1.-THE town for $40,
000, and the county for $4,000, psya
BILE after the road is completed through
it. Having spent my boyhood and
e rly manhood in yonr t:wa and
county, / have always felt a deep in
terest in all that affected your PEG
pies prosperity, many Of the friends o.
my early life aud their descendants
still residing there, and believing this
enterprise to be the most import nj
and one that will effect their prospect.
ty and progress more than any they
have ever been called upon to decide,
have determined TO give you my
views in relation to its effect. II you
tbing them worthy of consider alton
you can use them as you see proper.
First-Your county is peculiarly
situated in regard to Your lines OF
transportation, your trade and inter
course being almost exclusively with
Memphis. You have the Memphis
and Charleston railroad skirting your
border, twelve or fifteen miles away,
with ils branch from Moscow to your
place thirteen miles. You have the
Memphis and Louisville road through
the northwestern part Of the county,
about the came distance from you
From thsir location they cannot bs
rivals, or compete with each other for
you trade. The one necessarily gets
the business Of the noIthwesterly part
and the other tie south ern, and
through it's branch the central por-
ton. Hence each road is able to
charge what it pleases, comparatively,
and l doubt that many of your citi-
zens recollect when you could ship
your cotton to Memphis over your
branch road at 65 cents to 70 cents
per bale, which now COST you from
81 % to 81 so per bale, and en-
equal increase in all your back
freights, with only one train
a day to and from Memphis
and that q mixed height and
passenger train, with schedule fixed
to suit the convenience of the main
line, frequently greatly to the incon-
venierce of your people on account of
lis unusually early er late hours. All
this is the result of having only a
branch road. The experience Of all
railroad companies is that it costs
greatly mora money to do business on
short branch roads than on main
through lines, and much less accom-
modations can be, or are, given to peo-
pie living on branch lines, and fndipg
but little or no competition, and more
expense in running ihem, Is a coed
excuse for increasing the price OF bust
ness on such lines, as has been done
in your case.
This new line you a e called upon TO
aid will give you an e1ec'usl remedy
against all II e-e evils. 1t creates a
positive competition for the business
of every square mile OF your county
with the Louisville and Nashville rail.
road on your north western border,
only thirteen to fifteen miles off, and
the Memphis and Charleston on the
southern border equi distant. II you
have the Tennessee Midland entering
your county on the southwest, pass
ing, az it will, through your town and
norlhessterly to your northeastern
border, ard running through it over
thirty miles, there would be no citizen
left more than FIVE to seven miles from
q railroad, and but few over half that
distance, and a portion OF your people
in the northeastern portion of the
county-supplied near by with rail-
road facilities who were heretofore left
sadly in need of them.
With these three roads occupying
the positions described, there would
be sharp competition for the business
of every section of your country, and
inside of one year from the completion
of this new line you would get your
cotton and other products brought TO
market for one-half the present rates,
or less, and your return supplies at
equally reduced rates, and the saving
to your people in this alone )uld be
more than double the interest you
would have to pay on the bonds Issued
to psy the subscription now asked.
But this lie not all the convenience of
having a great central trunk line of
road through the center of your Coun-
tY. 1t would give your people an OPP
portunity to step on a train going east
or west and proceed at once to desti-
nation without the fear or inconve.
nience Of being dumped off at a way
the main line. Schedules would al
ways be made on q trunk line to suit
the people to and f.om their general
place OF business. 1t would put you
on the grand highway, where you
could see the travelling public, and
they would have an opportunity. TO
see you and your country, and bring
you many settlers who now pass
around you.
Last, tut not least, this road Ia not
exempt from taxation, as many Of
your roads we're formerly. 1t will run
through your county st least thirty
miles; the average value would be
equal to the Louisville and Nashville
and Memphis and Charleston rail-
roads, about $4,000 per mile, or $780,
600. Your State and county taxes
proper will average at least l per cent,
besides special taxes frequently 80 per
cent. on thiA would yield you a
revenue on State and county taxes
alone of $500 per annum from this
newly created wealth, while the inter-
est on your bonds you are nov asked
to subscribe at 5 per cent. would be
$500, or a net gsin to the county of
$4,000 per annum in taxes, over and
above the interest they would have to
pay,and enable the county to decrease
every mans taxes to that extent pro
rata. instead Of increasing them,as the
opponents Of this measure will argue,
to say nothing of the immense conve-
nience and advantage it would confer
upon every person in the county. 1t